The song 'The River and The Highway' is by Pam Tillis. First story I've finished.

She follows the path of least resistance
She doesn't care to see the mountain top
She twists and turns with no regards distance
She never comes to a stop
And she rolls, she's a river
Where she goes, time will tell
Heaven knows, he can't go with her
And she rolls, all by herself
All by herself

Erika dug through her paperwork. Her table and counters were covered by it. "This can't be happening. How could they call a meeting now? I can't believe that they would do this to me," She rambled on as she continued to dig.

After several minutes, she came up with the file she was looking for. "Gotcha."

She headed for the door, grabbed it, and pulled it open. Standing there posed to knock was her lover, Buck Wilmington. She sighed in disgust at the situation.

"Where you headed, Darlin'?" He smiled, charmingly.

"A damn meeting!"

His smile disappeared. "They can't, not tonight! We have plans. Don't they know we're celebrating?"

"Must not." Erika replied sarcastically. "I've got to go, the idiots await." She kissed him quickly and stomped around him. "You can stay or go, it doesn't matter." Buck listened to the line of profanity that was coming from the garage. He honestly agreed with her. They had been together for four months, a record for both of them. He sighed and entered the house, hoping she would be back before he had to go on an early bust in the morning.

The sun was up when Erika parked the car in the garage. She had spent half the night arguing with the men in charge and the rest setting up a sting she didn't like. Having profiled it, Erika knew how to run it which she preferred to do to all her own cases. She sighed. If she was lucky Buck would still be here. She hadn't seen his truck, but he had been parking it behind the garage, hoping to hide it from the team so they wouldn't bother him here.

She unlocked the door and sat the papers on the counter next to a dozen yellow roses. She took the note that was leaned against the vase. She frowned, knowing this meant that he couldn't wait. She opened the note. Although she smiled at the first couple lines, her frown returned and deepened. She wondered briefly if she could kill her bosses as she thought up a new combination of profanity for this situation. It was hard enough to be an undercover agent, but even harder to plan around schedule of busts, surveillance, undercover work, and reports when your boyfriend is a law enforcement agent for another agency. She walked to the phone and dialed the florist.

"I would like to order a dozen roses, half yellow and half red. Do you have a kangaroo on hand?"

"Kangaroo?"

"Right, mate."

"We have a beanie thingy that's a kangaroo."

"That will work. The card needs to read, 'to my Buckaroo, I miss you and I care. Tiger.'"

"Yes ma'am."

She went on to give him the address and when to deliver them. She hung up the phone and smiled a sad smile. At least, he would know she was thinking of him today.

A week later, she tried to get to the phone before Buck hung up. She tried his home, but didn't get him or JD. She left a message and cursed her luck. She called his work and he wasn't in; his cell phone wasn't working right and told her so. She slammed the phone unto the cradle. I'm never going to see him ever again. This had gone from mildly annoying to down right ridiculous. She hadn't seen him in a week and had only an hour to prepare for another case.

He's headed for a single destination
He doesn't care what's standing in his path
He's a line between two points of separation
He ends just where it says to on the map
And he rolls, he's a highway
Where he goes, time will tell
Heaven knows, she can't go with him
And he rolls, all by himself
All by himself

Another week passed as weeks do. JD hurried into the office and up to Chris, Ezra, Vin, Josiah, and Nathan.

"Warning, Buck is pretty pissed off. Advice is to stay out of his way today."

"May I inquire as to Mr. Wilmington's dilemma?"

"No nooky," JD said with a grin.

Ezra raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Mr. Dunne I declare that is none of our business."

"You wouldn't say so if you lived with him."

"I thought Buck and Erika had a date last night," inquired Vin.

"She canceled. A new case. She wasn't happy either. I heard her clear across the room and the things she said would have made a sailor blush."

"Really, Mr. Dunne. You shouldn't listen to others' phone calls."

"I was trying to watch TV and I heard her over that."

Vin chuckled at this. Ezra looked at Vin and was suddenly glad that their relationship was a lot less complicated.

"Brothers, I do believe that we should break this up." Josiah said as Buck entered the main office.

Everyone saw that the usually good humored man had a deep frown on his face and his stride was a determined one. They scattered in front of him, not wanting to deal with the man and his anger. Buck went straight to his office and sat down.

He put his head in his hands. He really didn't want to be at work, but the alternative was worse. He didn't want to be at home, alone. The only thing he wanted was to be alone with Erika, but their work had prevented them from being together. He was totally frustrated with the whole situation. He was ready to tell Chris that the next time Erika was around that he was busy no matter what was happening. This wasn't fair to him or her, and they hadn't done anything in over three weeks. With the way it was looking, it could be a couple more weeks.

He sighed and wondered if this was a conspiracy. He started his computer and buried himself in his work, hoping that it would keep his mind off a certain strawberry blonde.

After a few hours, he had his work done. With nothing else to do, he went to Ezra and Vin's office. He stepped into the office, Vin and Ezra looked up.

"May we assist you?"

"You need some help?"

"Nope, we have it," Vin said.

Buck shrugged and left.

Buck made his way to Chris' office. He knocked on the door.

"Come." Chris looked up as Buck entered. "You okay?"

"Not really." Buck closed the door.

"You want to talk."

Buck shrugged.

Chris wondered if it was time to buy a 24 pack of beer and just sit down and talk, or just drink. "It's about Erika, isn't it?"

Buck nodded. "More like the lack of Erika."

Chris barely stifled the chuckle that started in his throat at the comment. "You're still mad at them for ruining your anniversary."

"Damn right I am. And, they haven't let me see her since. I wish she worked with us."

Chris mulled this over, it was possible. She was on loan from Australia to the US not just Organized Crime Task Force. "Well things have to calm down soon. We only have one case now instead of two or three."

Buck nodded. "I'm going to head out."

"Now?"

"I finished my paperwork."

"Hey, I got an idea. Let's go out for beer."

"Now?"

"Sure. They know how to lock up here."

"Sure, I have nothing else to do."

Chris got his jacket and they exited the office. While Buck got his jacket, Chris told Josiah what was going on. Josiah let Chris know that if they needed him to just call.

Another week passed much to Buck's dismay. Chris and company had started to make sure they knew where the former ladies man was. They had never seen him so depressed before.

Late that afternoon, Chris had just finished debriefing them after their last case. Buck walked up.

"Chris, I'm going home."

"Why don't you wait and we can go to Inez's?"

"I'm not in the mood. I don't need you babysitting me."

"Buck...."

Buck turned and stormed out of the room, almost knocking JD over as JD was coming into the room.

And every now and then, he offers her a shoulder
And every now and then, she overflows
And every now and then, a bridge crosses over
It's the moment that every lover knows
And she rolls (and he rolls)
she's a river (he's a highway)
Where she goes (where he goes)
time will tell (time will tell)
Heaven knows, she can't go with him (he can't go with her)
And she rolls, all by herself
And he rolls, all by himself

A week later, Erika came home. She dropped her stuff by the door, too tired to care. She dropped on the couch and noticed that the answering machine was flashing. She wasn't going to listen to messages; she knew that most of them would be from Buck and she couldn't hear his voice without wanting him. She already wanted him more than anything. She sprawled on the couch, her head back, and eyes closed.

She heard a noise at the door. She thought that if it was a burglar maybe he would put her out of her misery. She didn't move even when the door opened. She really didn't care at the moment, plus she knew she could take the man out if she wanted.

"Hello Darlin'." The door closed.

Her eyes snapped open and she shot off the couch. She turned to see the one person that she wanted to see most in the world. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. The force slammed him against the door and he almost dropped the dozen red roses that were in his hand. She kissed him and he returned it with same fervor. It was several minutes before they came up for air.

"I take it you missed me." Buck managed after a minute, his voice already husky sounding.

She nodded.

"I brought you roses for Valentines Day. I missed you too."

"Much obliged," She finally said as her voice returned. "You can put them on the counter. Valentines day?"

Buck nodded and placed the flowers on the counter.

"Aw hell. I didn't...."

She couldn't finished the sentence with his lips on hers. He pulled away.

"Oh I got something else for you. Close your eyes."

She complied. She heard Buck open the door, she had to use every ounce of strength not to look or panic.

"Open your eyes."

She opened her eyes and looked at the biggest heart shaped box of chocolate that she had ever seen. Buck sat it on the counter next to the dozen of red roses. He stepped in front of her pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him. They stood like this for several minutes.

Erika pulled away. "That must be at super sized box of chocolate. Where did you get it?"

"That's a secret between me and cupid."

"Sorry, I didn't get you anything."

"You did."

She looked at him confused.

"You're here."

"And staying. I have something I have to do."

He looked at her confused. He watched her go to the phone and disconnect it. She walked back to him.

"Cell phone?" She put out her hand.

"In the truck. And your's?"

She smiled. "I removed the batteries earlier. Pager?"

"In the truck. And your's?"

"In the jag."

This brought a soft laugh from them.

"So the only thing is the phone in the bedroom."

"Easily disconnected."

"And where we want to be." Buck kissed her and lifted her off the floor.

He carried her quickly to the bedroom, where the phone was quickly disconnect. He kissed her again.

"Make love to me all night long."

"Until my strength gives out," Buck said as he started to undress her.

-Fare thee well-